This Horrible, Nordic World
by shiorioji
Summary: A nameless Khajiit boy has lived as a slave since he was only four years old. All he wants is for the torment to end, however that may be possible. Just as he is about to give up, he is saved from his Nord masters to live a new life. However, his troubles are only beginning. Discontinued.
1. Ten Years of Pain

Author's Note: This is something I have been working on for a while now. I didn't originally plan on putting this on here but I'm starting to like where it's going so I thought others might like it as well. It's going to be slightly different from my other stories in that not everything is laid out clearly for you; this time, you have to piece certain things together on your own to follow it and the story won't be...linear, I guess is one way to say it, if that makes sense. Anyway, enough with my rambling. Rated for violence and homosexuality. Please review.

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Elder Scrolls Series or Skyrim, only my OCs.**

"Where's my food, boy!?" roared Grenek, taking a long drink of his spiced wine. I hastily gathered the food and set it onto a tray, careful to not even drop one crumb of anything. I put the tray in front of him.

"Is there anything else you need?" I asked, feigning politeness.

"Yeah, there is. Get me more spiced wine" he growled, shaking his empty glass. I could tell he was already drunk and I was afraid more would kill him. His voice was slightly shaking and his eyes were glassy.

"Um...I do not mean to be rude...but do you not think you've had enough? I am worried that more alcohol will kill you, master" I said. He slammed a hand down on the table angrily and stood up.

"Boy, when I say get me more wine, I mean _get me wine or I'll kill you_. Understand? You Khajiits are clearly not as clever as everyone makes you out to be" he snapped. I bowed and quickly ran into the kitchen to get more wine. I had been dealing with this man and his family for ten years. When I was four years old, I was taken from my parents and older sister in Elsweyr by a group of raiding Nords. I do not know what happened to them but after that, this man took me back to the forests of Falkreath with him and forced me to be the slave for his family, all of them beating me when my small body failed to do what they wanted. The wife, his kids, none of them cared and all of them were glad to hurt me. Even now, I was constantly beaten among...other things...that I would rather not discuss.

"Where's that wine, cat!?" yelled Grenek from the other room. I looked through every cabinet but could not find any more wine. I became afraid as every place I checked was void of alcohol of any kind. I was sure to get beaten for this, even if it wasn't my fault. After checking the last cabinet, I took a deep breath to calm myself and went back to him. He was sitting down again, eating a Sweetroll.

"Well!? Where is it!?" he roared, putting down the Sweetroll and trying to see around me, probably thinking I was hiding the wine.

"Um...I-I'm sorry master but it appears we are out of wine. I can go get some more, if you would like" I said, hoping he'd agree. If he would let me go buy some, maybe he wouldn't hurt me. Not that I really knew where to get any but I'd find it somehow. Yes, I know I could escape if he agreed but...to be honest, I was afraid to try. What if he found me again? Besides, it's not like I could just leave him. That wouldn't be right...

"You think I'm an idiot, don't you!? Yeah, I let you out and you'll escape back to that pathetic home of yours! I'll teach you to insult me, you worthless cat!" he snapped, standing up once more and grabbing a very blunt iron sword from a nearby table. It wouldn't cut no matter how you used it, no. However, that didn't make it any less painful. I tried to run away but before I could, he had already brought the weapon down onto my shoulder. My whole body being covered in bruises, I screamed in pain and fell to the ground. He then swung at me several more times...on the chest, my shoulder, my head, everywhere he could reach. The pain was unbearable. It felt as though my body was on fire and I nearly passed out.

"O-ow! Master, please...! Stop!" I cried desperately but he ignored me. Warm tears formed in my eyes but that didn't stop him either. All I could do was wait for him to stop...wait for the immense pain to go away...

He finally backed off. By now, I couldn't move. My entire body was in so much pain it hurt to try. It took an enormous amount of effort to even keep my eyes open. There was no blood but I knew there would be at least twenty new bruises by tomorrow.

"_Alkosh...please, just let it all end..._" I thought, praying that Alkosh would just let me die already. I had asked this of the god before on many occasions but now I actually meant it. All I wanted was to die, to make this suffering end for good. Death is preferable to the torture I've been enduring for the last ten years.

"That'll teach you...but I think you need another reminder to not disobey me" he said, grabbing a different sword, this one sharpened. He grinned maliciously and sliced at my chest. The blade only scratched me a little bit but it still stung.

"Hopefully you'll learn this time, you pathetic beast" he growled, raising the sword once more, as though he was going to stab me in the heart. He was about to drive the sword into me when the door swung open forcefully. Before Grenek, or I for that matter, could see who had opened it, the blade was knocked out of his hands and he fell to the ground. A tall Khajiit boy was standing over him, carrying a gold-colored blade which was pointed at the Nord. He wore Hide Armor which showed off his arms and chest, both suggesting that he was likely very strong. On his right ear was a single gold piercing.

"Can you stand up?" he asked gently to me. I nodded and managed to force myself to stand. Judging by his voice, he was at least two or three years older than I was. He smiled and returned his attention to Grenek.

"So, you think you can just enslave one of my own race and get away with it, huh? Where's the rest of your pitiful family?" he asked, his sword now very close to the man's neck.

"T-they're out! P-please don't hurt them! Hurt me instead!" he stuttered, frightened out of his mind.

"I can arrange that. I hope the gods like you; you're about to meet them" he said, raising his sword to strike at Grenek's neck.

"Stop!" I cried, putting myself between the two. How I managed this is beyond me. "Do not hurt him!"

The Khajiit seemed mildly surprised. "You are aware of all this man has done, correct? Judging by your bruises, he hurts you a lot. Will you really protect him after all that?" he asked.

Without even thinking, I responded "Yes. Nobody deserves to die, not even him. He's not evil, just misguided. So please...don't hurt him"

He narrowed his eyes but sheathed his sword all the same. "As you wish. However, I must ask that you come to live with me instead of staying here with..._them_"

"No. I could never do that" I said. Now, he was very surprised.

"You're kidding. Why would you want to stay here?" he asked, somewhat suspicious.

"I've been here for ten years. I cannot just leave them. They depend on me and have taken care of me. Maybe it's not much but they do feed me and give me clothes and a place to sleep. No, I do not like what they do to me and I wish they would stop" Here, I shot a look at Grenek, "but I cannot leave. Besides, I do not even know who you are and living with someone you don't know, especially one of the same gender...it is just wrong"

The Khajiit sighed. "In all my years, I've never met one like you...look, they will be fine without you. Just come with me. I can give you so much more than they ever did. We'll get to know each other on the way. If you're too weak to walk, I can carry you" he crouched down to let me climb onto his back. I looked between him and Grenek, trying to decide. Do I go with the boy or stay here...? If I go with him my life might be better but if I stay, maybe Grenek will be nicer to me. At the same time, the boy seemed very nice but it would be wrong for me to live with him since I do not know him.

"Boy, you choose the cat and I'll hunt you down and kill you, understand?" the Nord snarled despite still being frightened. It took me a few moments to finally decide. I turned to the Khajiit.

"Maybe I don't know who you are...but I will still go with you. I am sorry Grenek but I cannot stay here. And I can walk, thank you" I said, walking over to him slowly. I winced with every step but I did my best to make it as subtle as possible. He stood up and glared at the man on the floor.

"Follow us or try to hurt him ever again and I will not hesitate to kill you even if he wants you to live. I hope you make the right choice" he growled, leaving the house. I looked once more toward Grenek, who was nearly bursting with anger, bowed and started to leave as well. I heard a loud shout from behind me. I turned to see Drenek running at me with the sharpened sword, his eyes filled with rage. I stumbled backwards but before I knew could even fully register all of this, the boy was in front of me, blocking the Nord with his golden blade.

"I did warn you" he said calmly. He knocked the sword out of Grenek's hand and pushed him back onto the floor with one swift movement. "You are lucky; I will not hurt you because the boy does not want it. However...one day, expect a little..._visit_ in the night. It may happen tonight, it may happen three years from now. Just be ready and as a suggestion, hire guards"

He sheathed his sword and left the house. I looked at Grenek again. Instead of being angry, now his eyes were filled with fear. I quickly ran outside after the boy.

I squinted in the sunlight and shielded my eyes, despite the sun nearly setting. I had not been outside in about five years and that time was only because Grenek's eighteen year old son had forced me out there so he could have more room to beat me. Not a pleasant memory.

"Not used to the sun, huh?" the boy said, grinning. If the fact that I had to close my eyes wasn't a hint to this, my fur was as pale as snow. It took my eyes a long time to finally adjust.

"What did you mean by a visit in the night? I thought you said you won't hurt him" I said when my eyes finally adjusted.

"I meant absolutely nothing. I said I won't hurt him so I won't. However, now he'll be afraid every night until he realizes I was lying. He might waste his money on guards as well. It will keep him occupied so that he won't run after us. I'm Do'graven, by the way. You can just call me Ven" he said, leading me deeper into the forest. I had never seen any of this before; at least not like this. Birds flew overhead and the trees swayed in the gentle wind. The grass and leaves made interesting sounds as I stepped on them and the air was pleasant; not too warm but not too cold.

"I see. As long as he will be alright...in any case, it is nice to meet you, Ven. Is that what everyone calls you?" I asked, noticing the subject change was likely a hint to stop talking about it.

"No but you can call me that if you want to" he said, seemingly indifferent to everything around him. I don't know, I guess it was because I was in that house for so long that I find ordinary things fascinating.

"Oh, I almost forgot" said Ven stopping and turning to me. "You need new clothes, don't you? When we get back to my house, I'll see if I can find something for you. There should be something of mine that fits"

"Thank you. I appreciate that" I said. He smiled and stared at me for a few seconds. "...what?" I asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"Oh, nothing. I just noticed; even with your bruises and everything, you're very attractive" he said bluntly, still smiling.

I blushed a deep red. "...O-oh...t-thank you...I think..." I muttered, embarrassed. Nobody had ever said something like that to me before. All I ever heard was "you're ugly, beast" or "you pathetic cat". I assume my family would have complimented me but if they did, I cannot remember it. All I can remember is the day the Nords came. Before that, nothing.

He laughed. "You're very innocent, aren't you?" he asked. "Never done anything bad in your life, I'm guessing?"

It was amazing how that one comment brought up so many bad memories. The beatings weren't the only things that happened to me...I looked away, even more embarrassed to think of those particular...events. Of my own will, no. I had never done, nor wanted to do, anything bad...never dated, never kissed anyone, never had alcohol, never stolen anything, never even snuck out at night.

"...yes...I suppose you could say that" I muttered. Ven turned away and said something under his breath.

"...huh?" I asked. He merely kept walking. I sighed and walked on as well. A few minutes passed in silence. Then, Ven broke it by asking my name.

"I do not have one. I used to, of course, but I do not remember it because the constant attacks to my head made me forget certain things. At least, that is what I assume. I cannot remember anything from before the day Grenek took me to Skyrim. The only reason I know about being taken from my home is that they always taunted me about it. Also, while in that house, I was always called "cat" or "boy" or something like that..." I said, ashamed to admit it.

"I am sorry to hear that. I will see if I can find a way to help. Hmm...what about...Kogaan? Not exactly a normal Khajiit name but it fits you" he suggested. I instantly took a liking to the name and agreed. It might not be my birth name but something about it was...nice.

An hour or two later, though it seemed much shorter, we came to a gigantic house about a hundred yards from a lake. On its right side was a tall tower of some sort. On the left side was a large porch and it looked like another tower was connected to the back of it.

"Like it? I built this thing from the ground up. Took forever...and a lot of money" he said, grinning proudly. "I normally don't brag about my accomplishments but this is an exception"

"Wait, you built this by yourself? All of it? How old are you, anyway?" I asked in disbelief. There was no way a seventeen year old...or however old he was...could build this. It was simply impossible.

"I'm sixteen and of course. If you want to get places in life, you have to do things yourself and not rely on others. It took a lot of effort and I nearly killed myself on several occasions but whatever. Come on, I'll show you the inside. We'll have dinner then get some rest. I'm sure you need it after ten years of torment" he said, going inside the house. The inside amazed me even more; it looked big from outside but from here, it seemed twice as huge. He told me to sit down at the table near the left wall while he got me some new clothes. He went off into another room for a few moments then came back, now wearing regular clothes himself and holding a red shirt, leather boots and black pants that looked brand new. He also carried a large potion in a red bottle.

"Here, I've never actually worn these. They were too small when I bought them but I didn't feel like taking them back so they're yours now. The people at Radiant Raiment in Solitude scare me, to be honest. Anyway, they should fit fine. Drink the all of that potion, too. It'll make your bruises go away" he said, handing them to me and leaving the room while I changed. They all fit perfectly, as though they were made for me. It felt rather odd to be in normal clothes and not the rags that Grenek gave me. The cloth was very soft, a nice change from the rough leather I was used to. I took a sip of the potion and gagged.

"Eww...I wonder if all potions taste this bad" I said to myself. The potion tasted like moldy bread (though perhaps not _quite_ as disgusting) but I forced myself to drink the rest. The second I had finished it, all of the bruises on me vanished along with all of my pain. I couldn't help smiling a little, something I hadn't truly done in years.

I called for Ven through the door, telling him I had changed and taken the potion. He came back into the room, holding a tray of warm food.

"I just finished cooking. I hope-" he began but cut himself off, staring at me.

"...yes?" I asked, feeling uncomfortable again.

"Nothing, it's just a little weird. Without those bruises and those torn clothes, you look like a totally different person. Well in any case, let's eat. Have as much as you want. If you're still hungry after this, I can always make more. It'll take two minutes" he said, setting the food onto the table.

We sat down and began to eat. I tried to eat slowly but every once in a while, I caught myself wolfing down venison, or a potato, or cabbage, causing Ven to laugh and me to blush slightly and slow down again. I couldn't help it; the food was so delicious and warm that it just happened. I had never eaten anything so good or eaten so much in my entire life. Ven didn't eat much, only watched me. I normally would have found this creepy but I was too busy eating to care at that point.

"Slow down a bit. You'll get sick" he said an hour later, still smiling. It seemed like he was always happy about something. It was nice, though. Being around a happy person was much better than being around someone like Grenek.

"I do feel kind of sick..." I said sleepily, my stomach hurting slightly. I felt as though I was about to throw up and I had almost no energy.

"Yes, that means you've eaten too much. Come on, my little kitten. Let's get you to bed" he said gently. I stood up after a few tries and followed him into yet another room to the left through the doors at the end of the room. There was a single double bed in the corner, accompanied by many chests and wardrobes. On a small table beside the bed was a single candle, which was the only source of light. He took off his boots and climbed into bed, not even bothering to pull the blanket over himself.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" he asked, patting the space of bed beside him. "We both, especially you, need some sleep"

"What? Sleep in the same bed as you? I could not. It is your bed, not mine. I do not mind sleeping on the floor. Besides, I was always told two males should not sleep in the same bed unless they are related. I am sorry but I simply cannot do it" I refused instantly. I liked him well enough but sleeping with him, especially after only knowing him a day...

"Kogaan, you need to lighten up...experiment a bit. Besides, you should not believe everything you are told. Who knows, maybe you'll like it" he said, winking at me. His behavior confused me. Why was he acting like this? Was this normal?

After a few more moments of thinking, I removed my new boots and hesitantly lay down beside him. My mind was screaming at me to get up and sleep somewhere else, saying this was wrong, but even if I wanted to I couldn't. The moment my head hit the pillow, I fell asleep since I was used to sleeping on the hard floor. It was so comfortable and so nice, I couldn't help it. The last thing I heard was Ven softly whispering in my ear "Sleep well...my little kitten"


	2. Is this normal?

Author's Note: Sorry if this chapter is a bit boring. Please review.

The next morning, I woke up at what I assumed was six, since that was the time I had been accustomed to waking up at. I yawned and slowly opened my eyes. I was facing the right wall and the door. I tried to get up but felt something around my waist and chest that made me jump slightly. Ven had wrapped his arms around me sometime in the night. Apparently, I was too far asleep to notice this as I would not allow it had he tried this earlier. However, after calming myself down, I realized that I didn't exactly hate it. In fact...I kind of liked it. He had pressed himself close against me. His body was warm and the faint sounds of him breathing were oddly comforting. For some strange reason, his embrace made me feel...safe, somehow...like nothing in the world could ever hurt me as long as he was there. Something told me that this was not the first time I had felt this but I couldn't place who else would have done that. Certainly not Grenek or his family.

"Oh...good morning, little one. Did you sleep well?" asked Ven having just woken up. He unwrapped his arms from around me and yawned. He got up and went around to the other side of the bed.

"Well enough, I suppose. Did you sleep well?" I asked, looking away to hide the fact that I was blushing. He pulled on his boots and leaned against the door.

"Yes, thank you. I was able to sleep especially well tonight" he said, winking at me again. He left the room, leaving me blushing harder than ever. Why? Why did he act like this? Why did I feel safe with him? Why did he rescue me in the first place? So many questions, so few answers.

"...may I ask you something? How did you know what was happening yesterday? Why did you even rescue me?" I asked ten minutes later while we ate breakfast. Like last night, I had to stop myself from eating too fast and too much. He wiped some juice from an apple from his mouth and took a while to respond.

"I found you easy enough. I heard you pleading for that Nord to stop. As for why I rescued you..." he paused here and took a bite of toast. "That's hard to explain. I mean, yeah I couldn't just let you be tortured, could I? Least of all when it was another Khajiit in trouble but the other reasons would take too long to explain. Anyway I'm going to go clean up...I hate water but whatever. If you want to, you can clean yourself in the lake behind the house after I'm done. Don't worry, the water is clean and this is the only house for miles" he smiled at me and got up, taking his plate to some other room and then leaving the house. Although I hated water too (I guess it's a Khajiit thing) I decided to do the same when he got back. While I waited, I walked around and examined the house.

There were six rooms; the bedroom, an alchemy lab (bottom and top floor), a library (again, bottom and top floor), the entrance room and a large hallway that led to all the others including the second floor via stairs. I was fascinated by the sheer size of the house. How could Ven have built this by himself? I spent most of the time in the alchemy lab though. I had never practiced it but it always fascinated me. I examined the shelves of alchemical ingredients, wondering what they all did. There were plants in all different colors; purple, red, blue, green, pink...some weren't even plants at all. There were other things too but I couldn't fathom what they did or what they were. I turned around to leave but forgot about the boxes I had to step over, tripping over one of them. Right before I hit the floor, someone caught me and gently pulled me back up.

"Be careful. You'll hurt yourself, Kogaan" he said, smiling slightly. I looked up at him and blushed, looking away again. He was not wearing a shirt and had a towel around his neck. His fur was fairly dry but was a little wet here and there. His arms and chest were, as I had noticed before, very muscular. I assumed you had to be tough to build a house like this. The weird thing, though, was the mark on the center of his chest. It was the mark of Alkosh. It seemed to be part of his skin, so I assumed it was a scar. I had no idea how he got a scar in that exact shape though.

"Oh, this?" he said, pointing to his scar and somehow noticing I was curious. He grinned. "It's a long story that I'd rather not go into. However, I will say that it ended with quite a few priests wishing they never crossed me"

He spoke gently but with a sense of finality, as though the subject was closed and he did not want me to ask any more questions about it.

_He has a right to keep things to himself but why won't he tell me how he got it? Is there something in his past that he's ashamed of? Maybe it's just a painful memory._ I thought. He noticed that I had spaced out and asked if anything was wrong. I shook my head...which was a lie, really.

"Alright. If something is troubling you, just know you can talk to me, ok? Now go get cleaned up" he said, smiling. I nodded and brushed past him, trying to avoid looking at him. Who was he?


	3. A Scaring Memory

Author's Note: As usual, please review.

_ "Seven...eight...nine...ten! Here I come, mother!" said a small Khajiit boy, removing his hands from over his eyes. He ran out of the house he was in, grinning widely. The house was in the middle of a dense forest with trees higher than most people could see and so wide they would get tired just walking around them. As such, there were many good hiding spots._

_ "Where are you, mother?" called the boy. The trees rustled in the gentle, warm wind but nobody called back to him. He ran around to the other side of the house, laughing out of sheer happiness._

_ "Ah! Found you!" he said excitedly, looking up into a tree. Whoever he was talking to laughed and a Khajiit woman jumped out of the tall tree and landed softly in front of him._

_ "You are too good at this game. I cannot hide from you anymore!" she said, hugging the small boy. He smiled again._

_ "Can we play again, mother? I want to see if I can find you again" said the boy. The woman put him down and smiled herself._

_ "Of course. I will hide now" she said, running off into the woods. The boy closed his eyes again._

_ "Six...seven...eight...nine...ten! Here I come!" shouted the boy, opening his eyes once more. He looked around, not sure where to start. He looked up to see if his mother was in the nearby trees but could not see her so he went around to the front of the house. He saw the woman standing in front of it, staring off into the trees. He walked up to her._

_ "Found you! You really are not very good at this anymore" said the boy. The woman did not turn around. The boy tilted his head to the side slightly._

_ "Mother? Are you ok?" he asked. The woman turned around. Her smile was gone. In its place was an expression of grief. When she spoke, her voice was deep and raspy sounding._

_ "_Why didn't you find me? If you did, we could have played together again_" she said, staring at him. The boy backed up several paces and fell backwards, tears falling from his green eyes._

_ "_Why didn't you find me?_" asked the woman again. Suddenly, she vanished along with everything else. Everything became black and the boy cried harder._

_ "I-I'm sorry!" he managed to say through his tears, looking down. He looked up and saw three people standing far away. One of them was his mother. The other two included a man and a young girl of about ten, both Khajiit. They stared at him while he quickly stood up._

_ "M-mother! Father! Sister!" he cried, running towards them. They did nothing, remaining as still as statues. When he was about ten feet from them, several Nord men with weapons appeared in front of him._

_ "Heh...this one is young and lively. I want this one" said a man with long brown hair. He grabbed the boy and began to drag him away while the other Nords laughed._

_ "Mother! Help me!" he cried out but none of the others moved, only watched as the Nord dragged the boy back into the darkness..._

I woke up the next morning with a start. It took me a little bit to remember where I was. Who were those people in my dream? That little boy looked like me but if it _was_ me, does that mean those other people were my family? The dream was centered on the woman. Was that my mother? Yes...it had to have been. I could see certain features of myself in her; my eyes and my ears were the same as hers. I assume we must have had a good relationship. The feeling I got when she hugged me seemed familiar but I wasn't sure how. A feeling of protection and happiness...am I only remembering my family? No...I had felt the same thing more recently but no matter how hard I thought I couldn't place where or when. It certainly didn't come from Grenek or his family.

I sighed and gave up on figuring it out. I put on my boots and left the bedroom. When I entered the dining room, I found Ven putting breakfast on the table.

"Oh, good morning Kogaan. Did you sleep well?" he asked, smiling at me. The nightmare was still fresh in my mind.

"Yes, thank you...what about you?" I half-lied, hoping he wouldn't notice. I slept well enough, yes but the nightmare certainly didn't help. Thankfully he didn't and if he did, he chose not to say anything.

"Very well, thank you. I was just about to wake you up. It's eight; you slept in a little this time but I wanted you to rest so I let you be" he said, sitting down. I sat across from him and began eating. I still could not help eating quickly, though by now I was able to control how much I ate so I did not get sick again.

About twenty minutes passed before a thought crossed my mind. If I was going to live with him, I should at least know something about him.

"Um...Ven, if you don't mind...could you tell me a little about yourself?" I asked.

"Where did that come from?" he asked in return, smiling slightly. "Well, no matter. Let's see...I was raised in Elsweyr. I came here when I was fourteen. I learned how to fight a few years before that. I built this house after I came here. As I said, I did this by myself. I do not like to sit idle when there is work to do and as such, I only have a library because books tell me a lot when I do not know where to turn. I love a lot of things and hate many things as well. I do not have many hobbies. Is that enough?"

He said a lot but I didn't learn much. Regardless, it was obvious that was all he wanted to tell me so I nodded and thanked him. At least I knew _something_ now, even if it wasn't a lot.

"I'd ask about you but I don't know if there's much to say. No offense, of course" he said quickly. I set my fork down and sighed.

"You told me about you, so it is only fair I tell you about myself. However, I can only say what I have been told. According to Grenek and his family, I was raised in Elsweyr by my mother, father and big sister. Our house was large, three floors I think, and right in the middle of the forest. Then...when I was four..." I stopped here, unable to bring myself to continue. Ven got up, went over to me and hugged me tightly.

"I am sorry you must deal with a past such as that. If there is anything I can do to ease the pain, just let me know. Alright?" he said gently. I suddenly realized why I enjoyed being in Ven's arms: it reminded me of my mother's embrace. Love, a feeling of being protected...it was something I had not felt in ten years.

"Thank you, Ven...I appreciate that very much" I said as he pulled away. He nodded and smiled.

"Any time. I am just glad to help. Now, let's go for a walk. Some fresh air will do both of us a world of good" he said, heading towards the door. I followed him, smiling more than I had in a very long time.


	4. The Plan Progresses

Author's Note: I know I've said this before but please review. I need all the criticism I can get for this story.

**Ven's POV **(two weeks later)

Two weeks. It's only been two weeks since I rescued Kogaan from that awful place and yet he's already like a little brother to me. I feel like I have to protect him from everything. Let's be honest; the boy is pretty defenseless. I really need to teach him how to fight. Then again, I'm not sure he'd like that. Well, I suppose it doesn't matter.

A movement from beside me woke me up. I opened my eyes slowly. I had my arms wrapped around Kogaan...again. By this time he was starting to be less embarrassed by this but still blushed lightly when he noticed. I stood up and stretched.

"Morning, little one. Did you sleep well?" I said. He had woken up at the same time as I did and was now blushing as usual.

"O-oh...fine...thanks...you?" he muttered, averting his eyes.

"I am glad to hear that. Well enough, I suppose. Thank you. Breakfast will be ready in about ten minutes" I said, leaving the room. Instead of following me into the kitchen, he went outside as he had done for a few days now.

After I finished cooking, I set the food on the table and went outside. Kogaan was sitting by the lake as usual. This was the only time I ever saw him truly smile. He seemed completely at peace with everything. I was just about to turn around and go back into the house to leave him alone for a while when I saw a large animal right beside him.

"Wait...what is that? Is that...oh, crap..." I said, my eyes widening. A large Saber Cat was right next to Kogaan. I swore to myself, mad because I had left my sword inside. I didn't have time to go get it and the cat was already at him. Then, I looked closer and saw something that made me question my eyesight: Kogaan was fine...and he was _petting_ it. Even weirder, it was lying down beside him as though he was its owner.

"...uh...Kogaan?" I asked, walking up to him. He turned around. The Saber Cat stood up and roared at me.

"Do not worry. He is a friend" said Kogaan soothingly, stroking the cat's neck. It purred and went back to lying down beside him, closing its eyes lazily as he pet it.

"How did you do that? Nobody can tame these things even if given a hundred years yet you did it in two seconds!" I asked. He hugged the cat around its neck and laid his head on its fur.

"I do not know. Maybe they are not as ferocious as everyone believes them to be" he said. "Can I keep it?"

Did he seriously just ask if he could keep a Saber Cat? I didn't really know how to respond. Last I checked, the things did not make good pets. At the same time, he seemed to have a measure of control over it.

"...uh...I...guess so...if you know it won't attack anyone" I said, still confused. He smiled wider than I had ever seen him smile.

"Thank you!" he said. I couldn't help smiling myself. To see someone who is as hurt as he is smile like that...it's contagious.

"You're welcome. Breakfast is on the table if you want to eat. The...uh...Saber Cat will have to still hunt for its own food, though. It would get more to eat. Anyway, I have to go somewhere for a while. I'll only be gone for a day, possibly two. Do you think you'll be alright by yourself for that long?" I asked. He nodded and stood up. The Saber Cat stood as well.

"I suppose I will be fine for a little while. May I ask where you are going?" he asked.

"...Whiterun. Do you know where that is? I have to meet with someone" I answered, trying not to say it too hastily. Yes, I was going there and yes, I was meeting with someone. However, if he asked the reason...that wouldn't end well.

"Alright. I will see you in a day or two then. Travel safely" he said, going back into the house while the Saber Cat ran off into the woods. I was thankful that he didn't know where Whiterun was. I figured he wouldn't which is why I told him. If he did, he would have known that it would take me days to just get there by normal methods. I waited until he was in the house before I did anything. I took out a small black sphere from my pocket and threw it into the air. A thick black cloud of mist enveloped me and when it cleared, I was outside Whiterun in the shadow of a gigantic rock. This was one of the many times that I was thankful for my black fur. I caught the sphere, put it back into my pocket and went into the city. Several people stared at me as I passed, likely because they were not used to seeing Khajiit in Whiterun. I ignored them and went to one of the bigger houses in the Wind District and knocked on the door. A middle aged Nord male answered. He was about my height with short dark brown hair and blue eyes.

"Why are you here?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"I need to see Ja'mido" I said, crossing my arms as well. "I was told he was here"

"...right...I'll go get him" he said. He obviously didn't trust me but that didn't matter. I really couldn't care less about what people thought of me.

"What are you doing here?" asked an old, brown furred Khajiit who had come to the door. He had green eyes and his fur was streaked with grey from age. I motioned for him to follow me.

"I wanted to make sure your job was progressing smoothly" I said as we strolled through the streets. Nobody was paying any attention to us, which slightly surprised me. A few minutes before, they wouldn't go stop staring. Then again, I wasn't complaining.

"Not well. This town is proving to be more difficult than I anticipated. I've tried getting on the Jarl's good side but he wants nothing to do with me. He keeps saying that he has too many things to deal with right now and he doesn't want me being one of them. That's why I was at that house. A very wealthy and very influential citizen lives there. I'm trying to convince him to help me. I'd ask how you knew I was there but I have a few guesses. What about you?" he asked.

"Not too well on my part either. I've already got Morthal and Dawnstar dealt with. They don't even know yet. They were rather easy but that's probably because nobody cares about them. I'm currently working on Falkreath" I explained.

"So he made right choice then. The only other person who's done their job is Do'verna and she just barely got it. Windhelm is apparently not only full of stupid Nords. There are a few smart ones there. Or rather, a few that are not as stupid as the others" he said, laughing bitterly.

"It's not funny. If we don't hurry this up, he won't be happy" I growled. "It's my responsibility to make sure you all do your part and if you don't, it'll be on me"

"Alright, alright. Calm down. So what about your part? I know you said it wasn't going well but why not?" he asked.

I took a few moments to answer. "Two weeks ago, I rescued another Khajiit from slavery. He was being beaten and tormented every day so I decided to help him"

"I understand. I'd do the same thing. Where is he now?"

"...at my house. I couldn't just leave him, could I? He'd be killed"

He narrowed his eyes. "...right. So what's he like?" he asked.

I looked up at the sky. "I wouldn't be lying if I said he's the most kind-hearted kid you'll ever meet. When I rescued him, he wouldn't let me kill his former master because "he's not evil, just misguided". Also, this morning, he was sitting out by the lake and a Saber Cat came up to him. The next thing I know, he's petting it and it's lying down beside him like it belongs to him. He even asked if he could keep it"

"And what did you say?"

"I said yes as long as it doesn't attack anyone and he lets it get its own food. It's weird...the boy could tame a Saber Cat in a matter of seconds when others have spent years trying and failed. I can only assume it could sense his kind heart and responded to it. It's amazing really; he was beaten and tormented for ten years but is the nicest person you'll ever meet"

Ja'mido grinned and stopped walking to lean against the side of a house. "Interesting. He could be useful in our-"

"No. I am not involving him in this" I said quickly, trying to keep my voice steady. The thought of him getting involved was too much. He'd be in far too much danger if he did. Besides, he'd never agree.

"Alright, alright. It was only a suggestion" he said. "In any case, I have been searching for the final part when I have spare time but I cannot find the right one. Look into that as well when you can"

"I'm sorry, were you ordering me to do something?" I asked, smiling bitterly.

"...no. I apologize...sir. I forgot myself" Ja'mido grumbled reluctantly.

"It is fine. If I have time I will look into it" I said.

He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, what about the boy? When will you let him go?" he asked. I wasn't sure how to answer that. I hadn't really thought about it that much. The idea just seemed crazy.

"...I wasn't planning on doing so. At least not any time soon" I answered.

He groaned. "Do'graven, do you realize how much of a hindrance the boy will be? Besides, it's not like he'll be al-"

"Shut up! I know, alright!? Just leave me alone about it! Look, I have to go. I will see you later" I said bitterly, turning around and leaving him behind. I went to the inn to think for a little while. I figured that something to drink might calm me down but after breaking up a fight between two Imperial soldiers and a Nordic man, I decided that an inn probably wasn't a good place to calm down. I quickly left the city and, after making sure nobody was watching, threw the sphere into the air once more. When the black cloud passed, I was standing on a cliff overlooking the large city of Windhelm. I went into the city and braced myself for the insults I was sure to get. As expected, some Nords tried to harass me by calling me a "rug" and saying something about how they killed their sister's cat. I ignored them and began searching for Do'verna. I found her at the inn drinking a tankard of mead. I sat down beside the middle aged Khajiit woman.

"Oh, hello sir. What brings you here?" she asked.

"I wanted to know how things are going. Ja'mido said you succeeded"

"Yes. It wasn't easy, let me tell you. It took a while to convince him to let me do it but after a while, he agreed. I had to call in a few favors to make it look as though my help was necessary and after I "stopped" them, he trusted me. Thankfully, the snow covered the markings so nobody will know they're there until it's too late. What about you?"

"The first was easy; nobody cares about it so convincing them took no more than a simple mind trick. A child could pull it off. The second was a little harder but still fairly easy. It took a while for them to trust me but once I did a few favors for them, they gave me everything I needed. Like with you, the snow covered the markings. As for the first one, a spell from a mage I met hides them for now until I can think of something better. The current one...is becoming a problem"

She smiled at this. "I've heard about that last part. So you've got yourself a boyfriend then?" she asked, winking.

"He is not my boyfriend and let me guess: Ja'mido told you" I growled, making a mental note to talk to him about this later. She nodded, still grinning.

"I was talking to him a moment before you came in. He said you were quite angry with him and to watch out...hold on...and now he says that he's sorry but he's grinning while he's saying it so I doubt he's sincere"

"Curse that old cat...I swear, he's only jealous because a kid is higher than him..." I muttered. It sounded childish, but it was likely true. "Anyway, I must be going. If you can, help Ma'loro. I regret giving him the the biggest city, he's far too young. If he's already done, find someone else to help. If everyone is done, help me with Falkreath" I said, standing up and leaving the inn. She waved to me and turned her attention back to her drink.

The sky was beginning to get dark, much to my surprise. I guess the Transporter was a little slow. Maybe I should get it fixed...I shrugged to myself and threw it into the air once more when nobody was watching. The mist took me to Solitude. Smiling slightly, I entered the city and went to the headquarters of the Imperials.

A young, Khajiit boy of no more than ten was sitting at a table across from General Tulius, the commander of the Imperial forces in Skyrim. The two appeared to be having a slightly heated debate.

"Sir, I implore you to reconsider. If you don't, the city will fall to the Stormcloaks. I can help you but you must let me do what is necessary" said the boy. Tulius crossed his arms and scowled.

"And how can a ten year old Khajiit boy help this city, even if what you say is true? The most trained warriors and mages in Solitude cannot hold back the Stormcloaks so easily. What makes you think you can?" he asked bitterly.

"I am wiser than you'd imagine, sir. Please, just give me a chance. What is the worst that can happen? If I'm wrong, then you may go on as usual. So what is the harm?" he responded politely, his eyes flickering over to me for a split second before returning to Tulius.

"...oh, very well" he snapped. "If it means that much to you, go ahead and try. What do you need?"

"Let's see...ten Nightshade, twenty Nirnroot, at least seventy Moon sugar, five Deathbell and ten gold ore. Oh, and one other thing..." he stands up and whispers something in the general's ear. His eyes go wide and he looks both disgusted and horrified.

"You're kidding! Why would I give you something like that? How would a child even know about this?" he asked angrily.

"It's the most important one besides the Moon Sugar. Also, as long as it's not forced, it doesn't matter. Can you think of no ideas? There are quite a few in the room below us. Surely there must be at least one" he said calmly.

Tulius looked uncomfortable for a moment. Finally, he sighed and agreed, leading the boy downstairs for a moment. When they came back up, the general said he was going to arrange to have the necessary materials brought to him as soon as possible.

"What about you? Are you here to convince me you can help defeat the Stormcloaks as well?" Tulius asked me irritably.

"No, sir. I am here to see the boy and I heard he was here" I answered politely. Tulius grumbled something under his breath and left. The young boy smiled and ran at me, hugging me tightly.

"Do'graven! It's so good to see you again, big brother!" he said happily. I smiled as well and hugged him back. While he might not be my biological brother, I treated him like he was and he did the same in return.

"It is good to see you as well, Ma'loro. I assume your part of this is going well?" I asked. He nodded and led the way out of Castle Dour.

"Yeah. It took a lot of work and convincing but I did it. I'll get to work on the marks tonight. They should be done by morning and by that time I'll have them hidden somehow. What about you, big brother?"

"Morthal and Dawnstar are done; Falkreath is still a little bit of trouble. It's getting there. Do you need help with the marks?"

"No. I can do it myself. Thank you"

Author's Note: I know I've said this twice before and this is probably the last time I'll say it but please review. I need all the criticism I can get for this story.

I checked to make sure nobody was near us. Obviously, if there was someone and they heard us, what was already said would arouse suspicion but still. Thankfully, the street was completely deserted and we were not near any houses. "...you know you don't have to go through with this. You're fully aware of what will happen if we succeed, are you not?" I asked. His smile faded.

"Yes, I know. I do not like it...there are so many nice ones but I'm sure he knows what he's doing and who are we to question him?" he muttered. "But I will finish what I have started. I will not back down now"

"I am glad to hear that. Anything else I should know before I leave?" I asked, taking the small sphere out of my pocket.

"Yeah, I think someone saw me. I was moving a few boulders out of the way at night to make room for the marks and I think someone noticed. They were staring at me and later on I saw them checking the boulder for something, likely traces of magic. I haven't seen them since. Should I be worried?" he asked. I shook my head.

"No. As long as nobody else sees you, you should be fine. I doubt there would be traces of magic since you didn't use any. Thinking on it, I wish I was able to do what the rest of you can. Things would get done so much faster if I could" I sighed. Ma'loro smiled and hugged me again.

"Yours may not be as practical but you still have the best one. Don't think on it too much, alright?" he said, smiling. I swear...that adorable face always cheers me up.

"Alright. Thank you, little brother. I must be going now. When you're done here, come visit me, ok?" I said, throwing the sphere into the air once more. The mist enveloped me and the last thing I saw was Ma'loro smiling at me before everything became black


	5. Two Years Ago

**Two years ago**

_"Ma'salov, you must focus! Your technique has improved but you won't get anywhere if you don't keep your attention one hundred percent on your enemy" said Master. I nodded and wiped the sweat from my forehead, gripping the hilt of my sword tighter. I took a deep breath and lunged at the old Khajiit man. He blocked every blow with ease. I stabbed at him as fast as I could and parried several blows. Getting frustrated, I swung my sword above my head, aiming to strike the man on his forehead. He blocked the swing with a simple movement and forced me away with one push from his hand. I landed on the ground and my sword slid away. He pointed his own sword at me and said "Again. This is the third time today, Ma'salov, and the tenth time this week. You must improve if you are to achieve your goal"_

_ I stood up and got my sword, grumbling under my breath._

_ "What was that?" asked the old man. I turned to face him, scowling._

_ "You put me through all this training but it is the same thing day after day. Why do you not teach me different things?" I growled. "Master Do'verna teaches me many different things about tactics. Master Ja'moga teaches me many things about magic. So why do you not do the same with swordsmanship?"_

_Master sighed. "Why must you younglings always question things? Ja'moga and Do'verna are younglings like yourself and as such have their own styles of teaching. I am not saying they are wrong" he said, looking as though he was saying that, "but my style is different than theirs and is much more effective, at least for this subject. Besides, I am not them, am I? Ready your sword, Ma'salov. We will begin once more"_

_ I nodded, still slightly mad. I had nothing against the old man but his cryptic wording of things and his reluctance to reveal information was a little annoying. I knew better than to protest, though. "Yes, Master" I said, readying my stance and rushing at him. I don't care how long it takes. One day, I will beat him. Maybe then he'll teach me new things..._

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait. Between school and...other things...I haven't had much time to write. Anyway, what do you think so far? Predictions or comments are more than welcome.


	6. A Friendly Reunion

Author's Note: Here's chapter six. However, this will be the last chapter for a while. I'm putting this on hold for a while because my main focus was supposed to be Joining the Battle. So, until I finish that one, I won't be writing any more chapters for this. As usual, please review.

It took the rest of the day and most of the next to get around to everyone. The last person was in Riften, my least favorite city to go to. Thieves were running rampant everywhere and I could hardly go five minutes without someone trying to pickpocket me or mug me behind a building. Needless to say, the potential thieves often ended up regretting it terribly but it wasted my time and was very bothersome.

Doing my best to not attract attention to myself, I went into the town graveyard and stopped in front of a large stone coffin with a round button on the front. I pushed it and the floor slid back to reveal stairs and a trapdoor. I went down the steps and opened the trapdoor just as the floor slid back to its original place. I climbed down the ladder and at the bottom, turned around to see several daggers, a sword and a bow pointed at me.

"What a warm welcome. I feel right at home" I said with a small smile.

"Why are you here?" snarled a blond woman holding a large dagger. "You have a lot of nerve coming back after what you've done"

I raised my hands up in surrender, still smiling. "Relax, Vex. I am here to see Ja'taga. Is he here?" I asked. The weapons pressed in closer to me.

"Why? You have no business with him anymore" growled Vex. "You've already done too much even without him. Get out of here before we skewer you"

"And we know you remember what you've done. Every single thing" said a man with reddish-brown hair and a beard. I rolled my eyes and leaned against the ladder, getting impatient. I didn't have time for this.

"I am sorry. What are you talking about? I have not done anything" I lied. The weapons became even closer.

"You stole from the Guild several times! You know you did, cat!" snapped Vex.

"And how would you know this? I very rarely come to Riften"

"We're not stupid. You're seen walking around the town and then something goes missing. We look for you and you've vanished. We can put two and two together"

I smiled and bowed, careful to avoid the sharp points. "You are smarter than I anticipated. Then again, I would expect nothing less from the greatest thieves in Skyrim. Yes, I stole a few things but that is not something to discuss now. Now, please let me see Ja'taga" I said politely.

A man in black armor holding a large dagger narrowed his eyes, his temper obviously rising. "Not after what you did to him"

"And since when does the Guild care about that? I always thought you only cared about money and stealing" I asked, my voice still completely calm.

"We may be thieves but that doesn't mean we don't care about anyone here. You hurt a member of the Guild, you pay. But it's not even just that. You _stole_ from us!" he snapped.

"I do not remember your temper being this easily ignited, Delvin. Anyway, your point?"

The weapons pressed in even closer. The blades of the daggers were about a centimeter away from my neck. I only smiled wider.

"What would you expect me to do? If I tried to talk to him too soon, he would not be happy with me. As for the stealing...well, when you just leave a solid gold statue of The Divines, a bust of the Grey Fox and an Eye of the Falmer in the open like that it is hard to _not_ steal them" I explained. "I believe they were returned so I fail to see the problem"

"Yes, after it took Vex and Delvin three weeks to track each one down and another week to steal them back" snapped a Breton woman holding an Orcish Dagger. "How would you even know that?"

"Look, just let me see him. It is important, I assure you" I said, ignoring her last question. "If you do not let me through, I will have no choice but to fight all of you"

The large room echoed with the laughter or several people. "You really think you could take on the entire Thieves Guild and win?" asked Vex, sneering.

"No. I know I can" I said, drawing my sword. Vex and the Breton woman, Tonilia, rushed at me faster than one would expect from humans. I ducked and quickly disarmed them. Delvin and Brynjolf then lunged at me while Niruin shot several arrows. I dodged the arrows easily and just barely avoided the dagger and sword. I then knocked the dagger out of Delvin's hand and rushed at Niruin, cutting his bow in half and kicking him into the water. I turned around to see Brynjolf swinging his sword, aiming for my head. I blocked it and slipped around to his back faster than he could blink, pushing him into the water as well.

"Now...where is Ja'taga?" I asked politely, sheathing my sword. Brynjolf spat water out of his mouth, soaking wet.

"In the training room. I hope he kills you" he growled, helping up Niruin. Vex glared as I passed but I ignored her as I did Delvin and Tonilia. I went to the training room and saw a sixteen year old Khajiit boy in Thieves Guild Armor sitting on one of the hay stacks. He looked up with a smile when I entered the room but it faded quickly.

"...what do you want?" he asked shortly, turning away. I sat down next to him.

"I wanted to know how your assignment was going" I said gently. "Do you need any help?"

"No. It's going fine. Black-Briar is a fool. She will listen to anything if there is money involved. Now please leave me alone" he said, still facing away. I wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Come on...you are not still mad at me are you?" I asked. He pushed my arm away and turned to look at me. His bright blue eyes were almost in tears.

"How could I not be? I thought we were friends!" he exclaimed.

"We are. I still care for you. You must believe me. I always have and always will" I responded calmly.

"How am I supposed to believe that!?" he cried, standing up. "You left me to die in a cave!"

"What? I did not leave you to die. Who told you that?" I asked, standing up as well.

"I figured you did since you just left me with all those bandits and mages! Why did you do that!?"

I sighed. Great...this was turning out to be more of a problem than I first thought. I knew he would think this but I had hoped he wouldn't or that he had forgiven me. "Will you let me explain?" I asked. He nodded, folding his arms across his chest.

"Thank you. We both know why we were there in the first place. I did not leave you to die, though. When I realized that there were so many mages and bandits in the cave, I knew we could not beat all of them. I tried to find an escape route so we would not be captured. I found one but by the time I got back, you had gone. I spent three days looking for you and almost got caught several times. So, as a matter of fact, I have a question I would like to ask you. Where in Alkosh's name did you go? I simply went to find a way out" I explained.

He looked at me as though I was insane. "You are kidding me. _That_ is why you left? I thought you had abandoned me so I tried to find a way out as well. I got captured and was supposed to be killed when Delvin came and killed the mages, saying that he was sent there on a job. I asked why he saved me and he said he always heard Khajiit were good thieves. Then he took my back and said I would fit in perfectly with the Guild. I have lived here ever since" he said, his tears falling less frequently.

"Interesting..." I said slowly. "I suppose it was good that he found you then. In any case, I am glad you are alright"

He nodded and hugged me tightly. I hugged back, happy that he didn't hate me. "I am just glad you did not leave me. I am sorry"

"All is forgiven. Now, how is your assignment going? Details would be appreciated this time" I said, letting go and leaning against the wall. He stood up and began pacing around the room, his tail moving back and forth and his ears perking up as they always did when he was thinking.

"Well enough. As a member of the Thieves Guild, I am in a good position to do it. Black-Briar is a greedy, selfish woman and like all greedy selfish women, she is easily persuaded by blackmail and money. It was not easy finding something on her, I assure you, but I managed. The Guild has records on everyone you can think of, including Black-Briar" he explained.

"I am curious. What do you have on her?" I asked. He whispered what she had done into my ear which left me grinning widely.

"I am impressed, though not surprised. She did not strike me as the kind of woman who would do that but I would not put it past her" I said. He nodded again and resumed pacing.

"Yes. As I was saying, this was rather easy. The first part is done and the markings hidden. I am onto the second stage which is so close to being done that I have started to plan for stage three. I am sorry that I have not gotten farther but I was...not well" he said apologetically, looking away. I gave him another hug.

"Come on...you did very well. Nobody has even managed to get as far as you have except for me. Everyone else is still on stage one or is just starting the second and I have just barely finished my second city" I said, smiling. He smiled as well.

"Thank you, Do'verna. How is your part going?"

"Very well. As I said, my second city is done. I am working on Falkreath now. Unfortunately...there is something that may be a problem"

"What is it?"

I paused for a moment. "...a while ago, I rescued a Khajiit boy from being a slave. He currently lives at my house in the forest"

"Oh...really? What is he like?" he asked, smiling again.

"He is fourteen and he is the nicest kid I have ever met. He tamed a Saber Cat within a second and even owns it now. He refused to let me kill his old master and a week ago he asked if we could go back and visit him someday. Regrettably, he has a rather troubled past. His family was murdered when he was four and he was taken to Skyrim from Elsweyr. He has no memories of it though. He just knows what his masters told him."

His smile faded. He looked away as though troubled by something. After a few moments, I asked if anything was wrong.

"Huh? Oh, no. Nothing. Um...so you really like him then?" he asked, still looking away.

I looked up at the stone ceiling, trying to figure out how to word my answer. "...I suppose. He is a nice kid and I think he would make a good friend. However, the pureness of his heart con-well, never mind that now. Why?"

He turned back around. He was smiling again but his eyes showed obvious pain and sadness. "It is nothing. You should get going, Do'verna" he said rather quickly. I crossed my arms and didn't move.

"I can tell you are hurting. I do not have to be Ja'mido to see it" I said. He shook his head, still smiling.

"I am fine. Forgive me, but I have work I must be getting to. Goodbye" he mumbled, his smile fading once more. He left the room rather quickly. I growled under my breath but let him go. I had hoped they had all realized that keeping secrets from each other was a bad idea and most seemed to with the exception of Ja'taga. However, brooding over it would not get me anywhere. To avoid having to deal with the Guild members on the way out, I took out the black sphere once more and threw it into the air. There was but one more place to go...


End file.
